


Hear Me Now

by A_lee_us



Series: American Tragedy [1]
Category: Hollywood Undead (Band)
Genre: Adultery, Gen, Mental Instability, Mystery, Paranormal, Possession, Psychological Drama, Psychological Horror, Self-Harm, Strained Relationships, Thriller
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2018-01-28
Packaged: 2019-02-24 00:51:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13202196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_lee_us/pseuds/A_lee_us
Summary: Daniel Murillo, at age 34, finally returns to LA after almost a year of being missing. However, he is struggling with a strange entity that has taken over his body - a strange entity that, for some reason, is intent on seeking out someone back in LA after an entire year of avoiding the place.Check the tags for warnings. Tags may be updated as the fic progresses.Updates on Sundays UTC +8:00.[On hold until I finish the fic requests I have]





	1. Where'd You Go?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AwokenMonster](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwokenMonster/gifts), [Dream_addicted](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dream_addicted/gifts), [LaurelSilver](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaurelSilver/gifts), [PrettyPurplePea](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrettyPurplePea/gifts), [young_monster](https://archiveofourown.org/users/young_monster/gifts).



> First RPF. Originally found it pretty awkward to write, then I gradually eased into it. Wrote this because, while bored, I scrolled through my inbox and came across a comment thread I had with Monster 80 days back or something where I was to write him something. Slipped my mind. Whoops.
> 
> Also gifting this to some of the other writers on here for their dedication and commitment to the fandom.
> 
> This is set in 2016; Jorel got married on 5th November 2016 (my birthday, hah).
> 
> For those new to this fandom:  
> Daniel Murillo - Danny, 34  
> Jordon Terrell - Charlie Scene, 31  
> Jorel Decker - J-Dog, 32  
> George Ragan - Johnny 3 Tears, 35  
> Matthew Busek - Da Kurlzz, 34  
> Dylan Alvarez - Funny Man, 30
> 
> CHAPTER SUMMARY:  
> Danny returns to LA and remembers the events that led to his possession.

He watched, with still, observant eyes, as trees and lampposts passed. The car’s engine was humming a comfortable, low sound; and the day was warm. If he closed his eyes, he could easily dose off.

His backpack - containing the meagre possessions he had - sat next to him. It was large, bulky and bulging. The bag, unlike its contents, were new. Also, unlike the old, dirtied clothing inside, the bag was stolen.

Daniel Murillo - more commonly known as Danny - was seated in the back of a taxi. The black leather seats were well-worn, with numerous tears and holes. A musky, slightly sour smell filled the interior of the car. The air conditioning unit, though it was whirling away with great effort and speed, was inefficient, leaving the cabin warm and humid.

How did he end up in this position? With barely any possessions to his name? Sitting in the back of a dingy taxi, headed back to a place he thought he had left months ago?

It had been a mere coincidence. The lobby of the motel he had been staying in had a laptop for guests to use. The lump of metal was beat-up, scratched all over, probably picked up from the nearest trash dump. It also had the slowest processing speed ever. But Danny had decided to use it anyway to cure the boredom of a slow Monday afternoon.

Out of pure curiosity, he had finally logged into his email, after over three hundred and forty-two days. The inbox had been flooded with panicked, furious emails from friends and family - all asking on his whereabouts, his current status.

_Daniel, please, please come home. We miss you so much._

_Danny boy! You better get your arse back here! Scarlet is so fucking worried you dumbass dickhead. If you see this I will wring your neck-_

_Please, if you see this, write back. We are all so worried about you._

The concerned emails stopped sometime after two months of his disappearance.

Then, sitting at the top of his inbox, was an email from Jorel. It had obviously been forwarded to all the contacts in his address book, and mistakenly also landed into Danny’s inbox. The email was titled _Jorel and Vanessa’s Wedding Invitation_ and had contained a photo attachment of Jorel and Vanessa, with details of the wedding.

His heart had ached at the sight. Jorel and Vanessa did look stunning and lovely together.

There was no way he could miss Jorel’s wedding. He couldn’t.

It had been difficult to convince himself to go. He had wrestled with the thought for days, non-stop. On one hand, Jorel had come to his when he and Reese had tied the knot. On the other, how would he explain his months-long absence?

The biggest difficulty though, was _it._

 _It_ had not always been there. But _it_ had almost total control of him.

Danny sighed and pulled away from the taxi window to focus on his mucked-up shoes, bracing himself on his knees. The floor was dirty, too - stained, with crumbs littering the ground.

The taxi driver had begun humming.

About a year ago, an incident happened that completely warped his life. What had happened to him was truly incredible. It was so fictional, so unbelievable, even he wanted to laugh at the very thought of it. But it was all so real. There was no escaping the reality.

Daniel Murrilo, at age 34, was fucking possessed by a demon.

 

-

 

_One year ago._

“Happy birthday, Danny!”

Danny yelped as ice-cold liquid was dumped down his neck. He spun around, a good-natured frown on his face, to face the perpetrator.

Jordon had a dumb shit-eating grin on his face, holding a can of beer in his hand.

“If you thought that was funny,” Danny started threateningly before breaking off into a grin, “It actually fucking was.”

Jordon’s smile split even wider and he thumped Danny on the back, causing the fabric of his shirt to squelch as it was soaked-through.

“C’mon,” Jordon bellowed, “Let’s get your candles blown!”

The six members of Hollywood Undead were in Jordon’s house, and more specifically, his back garden. Night had fallen but the sky was clear and the moon shone brightly. Floodlights had been set up in the garden, lighting up the place enough for Danny’s 33rd birthday.

They were having a grill. George, the only one sober enough to be trusted around glowing charcoal and kerosene, was manning the grilling station, expressionless as he loaded fat sausages onto a towel-lined tray.

A large wooden table, with two wooden benches, was set up in the centre. Currently, a large, gooey chocolate cake sat on it, with a single candle stuck in its middle. The cake had been “made with love” (according to Dylan) by the band. It was very moist-looking, sinking a little in the centre, and had been doused with a heap of chocolate frosting. A careless hand had also had a go at icing a message onto the cake:

‘HAP-  
PY B-  
DAY!’

It was written in large, block letters, and in pink icing. Then, underneath, in a new, neater handwriting - as if someone less high than the first had taken over the duty of icing a message - was the name ‘Danny!’ in cursive.

Jordon led him to the table, where Jorel, Matt and Dylan were seated at, laughing loud and drunkenly as they threw back mugs of beer and whiskey.

“Ah, my boy, Danny!” Dylan yelled upon seeing them, “okay, gather ‘round, I want-” he hiccuped, “I want to make a toast to my homie, Danny Murillo.”

The other two raised their mugs in good humour as George lumbered to the table, sighing and shaking his head at the drunken trio.

“Listen, you all, listen,” Dylan commanded, before shoving a can into Danny’s hands, “I’m calling out Danny for sticking with us all this while, and dealing with a fuckload of shit with us as a band! And, I’d like to t-thank him for his amazing vocals on Day of the Dead!”

Danny snorted, cracking open his own can and taking a long sip from it. “Thanks, homie,” he said.

Dylan blinked at him before smiling broadly. “‘S time for the birthday b-boy to make a speech! Give it up for Danny! Da-nny! Da-nny!” 

Soon, the rest - including a obligatory George - were clapping and cheering his name. Danny set down his can, slightly flustered.

“You are all my bros. Thank you for making tonight so enjoyable for me,” he managed out, burping a little from the alcohol, “It means a lot for you to come down and spend time with me as a band.”

“Never forget, Daniel, we fucking love you.” Matt piqued up, only to be shoved by Jordon who snickered ‘gay’ under his breath.

Danny grinned. His band was pretty stupid, but they were great to be around. They were both awful and awesome at the same time. He was so glad he had accepted their invitation to join five years ago.

But the night was young, and Daniel Murillo, at age 33, had no idea what the night had install for him.


	2. Where to go from here?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny remembers the night he got possessed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is the first Sunday update! Proudly written at 2 am in the morning!
> 
> I was disappointed as to how this chapter turned out and, yes, I know, it was very Danny-centric. The rest will be more involved (I'm legit serious. They will be so involved that they'd win the Alias Involvement Medal. Not that that's a real thing.) in future chapters. It's just this one where we focus a lot on Danny. I mean, he's the one getting possessed, after all.
> 
> Leave comments and kudos if you enjoy this - they fuel my motivation (which I severely lack).

Ten years earlier, parties would have ended at 4 in the morning. However, it was 2015 and everyone was busy. 

Jorel and George had family and significant others to go back to. Matt, who had hinted a few times that he would be looking for a solo career in future, had to continue his searching for labels and corporates. Dylan, sweet Dylan, would have stayed and drunk with him. However, he had gotten a call from his panicked girlfriend, yelling something about a burst water pipe.

Jordon had to clear up from their party.

As George was the only one without a blood-alcohol concentration above 0.08%, and since he had quit drinking for Ava's sake, he had a new role in the band - cab driver.

The night of the 21st of November 2015, Danny was dropped off outside his house, a chorus of "good night, Danny"s echoing behind him. The slightly-intoxicated man turned to wave farewell to his friends, and flipped a middle finger in response to Jorel's. A burst of drunken (and high) laughter later, the door slammed shut and George's minivan pulled away.

Danny took in a deep breath. The biting frost was creeping into the year, causing his breath to mist. The neighbouring houses were mostly dark-out, weak glows from night lamps spilling out from the corners of curtains. There were many cars parked out on the street - which was ghostly empty. Silence filled the neighbourhood, settling on the deserted road.

It was slightly past 2 am in the morning and most were asleep.

Danny stumbled towards his house, fumbling with his coat pockets for the key to his front door. It was only after he had swayed, tipsy, at his doorstep for a good five minutes, did he realise that he had probably left his key at Jordon's house. He squinted at the red-brick front steps, struggling to call up a foggy memory from the party.

"Fuck," he curse, when he was finally sure that the memory of him dropping his keys off in Jordon's key basket was not conjured from his imagination.

He squinted his eyes against the brilliant glare of the front-porch light.

Fuck, he missed Reese on days like this. They had divorced on mutual interests, both agreeing that they were better off as friends than spouses. However, though he did enjoy the idea of her being his close friend, he sometimes regretted that things with Reese hadn’t worked out.

She was a real angel. Reese was outgoing, friendly, and pure lovely. Under her care, Scarlet had blossomed into a fine young girl who Danny could dote upon. They often still met up, catching up on times or just hanging out like friends would.

Danny smiled sadly. If they were still married, Reese would open the door in her dainty nightdress, a playful frown on her face, as she would usher Danny into the bathroom for a bath, and ready a mug of hot tea or similar.

But Reese was two neighbourhoods away, fast asleep in her own bed.

Danny was alone, stupidly stuck outside in the chilly cold, rocking back and forth on his heels.

He shivered, drawing his coat tighter around him. The afterglow of the party, the joyous celebration, had completely evaporated - leaving nothing but a cold, empty feeling.

Somehow, Danny would realise later on, he completely forgot the existence of his phone in his drunken haze.

Instead, the singer made up his fuzzy mind that he would make his way over back to Jordon’s house, which was only a twenty-minute walk away. Plus, he had time - he had no plans and sleep did not seem like it’d come easily that night.

-

Daniel Murillo ended up getting hopelessly lost in an unfamiliar park on the day after his birthday.

If he thought about it hard enough, he would be able to recall and retrace his footsteps. But that was a sober, logical Danny thought. Currently, he was a drunk, tired Danny. Thus, he stubbornly continued his way down the winding dirt path into the gloom and darkness of the park.

The park was large, bordering a plot of dense woods. He had ambled there in an attempt to find a short-cut to Jordon’s house.

With the exception of the few, flickering lamp posts, the woods was swirling with darkness, swallowing the surrounding light. From afar, it was nothing more than a huge black mass.

And it was also eerily quiet. An owl hooted occasionally. A few leaves rustled sporadically. But besides his own footsteps - which rang out in the overwhelming silence, Danny could hear and see almost nothing.

It was as if he had stepped away from civilisation.

He was a little fearful, for it was dark and he was alone. Childhood fears of ghosts and supernatural beings tickled the back of his mind. He could also get attacked and murdered without any witness or passing help.

But at the same time, a strange sort of calm and freedom had settled over him. He was out here. Away from people. Away from problems.

Danny wandered further down the path, aimless, half-forgetting his intended destination.

It was only then did he remember his handphone and pulled it out, only to be dejected to find that the battery had died.

He could imagine George’s irritated voice scolding him for being so careless and dumb. “It’s not something that should have happened,” Imaginary-George was saying, “It wouldn’t have happened if you were wiser.”

“Okay, Mom,” Danny replied to no-one, before laughing a little at himself.

Damn, what he’d give to have Jorel here. Jorel would love going out into a dark woods at night. The bassist had always been into exploration and adventure shit more than the rest.

A _crack_ rang out from behind him.

Danny swung around, suddenly alert. The haze in his mind seemed to clear abruptly, his senses sharpening dramatically and violently. His heart rate picked up, the muscle thrumming along at a rapid pace.

Behind him, along the path that he had come from, stood a pug.

The pug was short, kind of plump, not unlike Danny’s own dog. It was looking up at Danny expectantly, wagging its tail excitedly.

If Danny were any less wise, he would think the strange way the pug’s sagging cheeks were perked up was its attempt at grinning.

He stared incredulously at it. How had he not noticed the pug earlier? Had it followed him into the park? Where had it come from? Why was it here?

His heart rate was gently slowing back to normal. He let out a short laugh. What was there to have been worried about? It was only a pug. God, he could almost hear Jordon laughing at him.

Danny instinctively approached the dog, crouching down and reaching out to pet it.

If it were a run-away, he could check its tag and return it to its owner in the morning.

The dog did not run away. Instead, and a little oddly, it sat on its hind legs and began panting, almost inviting Danny to touch it.

How was he to resist such an adorable little pug?

Danny rubbed the pug’s soft, saggy skin whole-heartedly, grinning.

“Hey, little fella,” he whispered, “What’re you doing out here so late?”

The pug cocked its head.

“Are you lost? Because I’m lost. Trying to find my friend - Jordon’s - house. Kinda messed up and ended up here.”

He reached to rub its belly. The pug rolled over, leaving its front exposed for rubs.

“You’re such a cooperative little thing, eh? Such a clever little doggo.”

Danny hummed, smiling. He was chatting with a possible stray dog in the wee hours of the morning while he was lost in a dark forest. Yes. That was what his life was. Dylan would mock him till the end of his life.

“You clever or you got a little rat in your head pulling hairs?”

The pug suddenly spasmed. Its eyes rolled back, whites showing. Its tongue, in a flash, was hanging out of its mouth.

Danny withdrew in shock, concern shooting up from his gut. Brows furrowed, he reached for it, hoping to be able to help.

It spasmed again, rolling onto its back with a yelp, before twitching once, twice, three times. A deep, guttural groaning was emitted from its parted muzzle.

The dog no longer appeared ill. It appeared _possessed._

In the dark woods, in the middle of the night, paranormal activity did not seem that unbelievable.

Danny quickly stood up and backed away slowly, cautiously.

He kept his gaze fixated on the pug which was now violently twitching - jerking so forcefully, its body was occasionally thrown off the ground, causing it to land repeated on the gravel flooring. Its eyes constantly rolled up and down - and its irises appeared red. It was also emitting a long, pitiful whine of pain that broke Danny’s heart.

The twitches were rapidly increasing in intensity. Danny barely had to consider it. He was fucking out of there. There was no way in Hell that he was going to deal with this. Not today, Satan.

Actually, yes, today, Satan, for the moment he spun around to flee, a swirling black mass had materialized right behind him, so _terrifyingly_ close, and rammed straight into him.

His vision went white.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please help me out a little by suggesting which of the following I should do:
> 
> A. Stop writing other shit and finish Hear Me Now first
> 
> B. "Levitate" - Jorel's weird psychic friend, Aron, warns him against becoming emotionally attached to George Ragan for 'it'd distrupt nature's course'. Of course, Jorel defies Aron and finds himself stuck in a time loop - the 1st of May repeating itself again and again and again.
> 
> C. "Pour Me" - 'On the 31st of December, Aron Erlichman will kill himself.'
> 
> Danny needs to ensure that Aron finishes himself off at the end of the year or Hell will break loose on Earth. However, it appears that a certain demon within the band wishes to keep Aron alive to ensure that the Calamity would be brought forth.


	3. Pull the knife outta my chest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny arrives at the wedding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I recently got my results back for my tertiary-education entrance exams. I had obtained decent grades but now am rushing to decide on which institutes to apply for. I would be busy next week and the week after - what with applying and appealing for the different schools.
> 
> While I will try to update according to the schedule, I might not be able to make it. Or, like this one, it'd be rushed and poorly-written.

The taxi slowed to a stop, gravel crackling under its heavy tires.

Danny rummaged in his knapsack for whatever cash he had left from his months-long vanishing act. His fingers clenched around a $50 bill which he drew out to pay the driver.

“You from this part of town, son?” the driver asked, friendly and in good-nature. 

Danny blinked, fingers ghosting the door handle. “Yeah,” he responded hesitantly before unlocking the door and bolting out, “thanks for the ride!”

Pebbles spat from the ground as the bright yellow cab pulled away, disappearing around the corner. Danny watched it go, dread pooling as he realised that he did not have the money for a trip out of town. He was back in L.A. and had to finish what he came back for.

He had to-

**_Move east._ **

Danny gritted his teeth.

The being that had manifested inside of him on that fateful night was speaking again. It could communicate with him in a dark echo - a voice too real to be imaginary. Initially, Danny had assumed that he had been going crazy - but the entity had hijacked his very own body soon after, proving its point that Danny’s body belonged to it.

 _Okay,_ he thought back, disgruntled.

The being was not patient, though. It jerked Danny’s legs in a random direction, forcing the male into an awkward stumble down the cement path. The singer got the hint, following along the being’s urges, walking down the dictated path. Satisfied, the being slackened its control, letting Danny make his way in the chosen direction.

The blond set off, one hand toying nervously at him bag strap. He had no idea where the entity was leading him, but he had no power to stop the creature.

There was no way to resist. The entity could hijack control of his body any moment it felt like doing so. He didn’t know its aims, didn’t know its goals. Didn’t know what it wanted, or why it did anything it did.

Danny rounded a corner.

The skies were overcast - grey, dense clouds hung over the streets, the dirty roads looking greyer than usual. A cold chill had settled over, a slight breeze gracing the corners of his lips.

The street he was on was relatively empty, save for a couple strolling together across the road, and a man operating a cleaning truck.

Danny hesitated, unsure of where the entity wished for him to go. The dark voice in his head had gone silent - like it regularly did; slipping in and out of his mind whenever it felt fit. He hovered on the sidewalk, eyes tracking the other people on the street as he waited for instruction.

**_What is that?_ **

Danny blinked.

 _What?_ He thought back.

The entity jerked his head towards the cleaning truck. It was a noisy machine, humming and whirling loudly as its scrubs spun, bristles scrubbing the roads, leaving a soapy trail in its wake.

 _It’s a cleaning truck. Cleans the roads up by brushing them._ Danny informed the entity, laughing a little internally.

The entity was scary dangerous. It exerted complete dominance and control over his body. It could direct Danny to complete tasks requiring tremendous strength that he never possessed. Under its control, Danny could accomplish impossible feats. Yet, it was slightly hilarious that such a powerful being was so uninformed on the workings of the modern world.

_**I have only seen one before. My previous host was unable to inform me on more.** _

Danny’s mind flashed back to the brown pug that he had awoken next to a year back. The entity had snatched the dog’s consciousness then, before finding itself a more suitable host - Danny himself. 

The blond snickered.

 ** _Walk._** The voice hissed. Danny’s left leg jerked towards a direction, so he picked up on it, strolling towards it.

He had long given up questioning the entity on where it was leading him to, why, or how. The entity mostly ignored him, puppeteering him whenever it wished. He could go days without interference from the strange lurking being, and then, the very next moment, his consciousness could be snatched from him and he could only watch in horror as his body clambered walls and kicked down doors.

Danny breathed a sigh as he trudged down the path.

There were a few things he understood.

One: the entity was old. It was unfamiliar with most modern developments. Danny had once had to argue with it for it could not believe that Jefferson was no longer in power. It uptook things quickly though, understanding and learning at inhumane rates.

Two: it was dangerous and lacked morales. The entity had no qualms directing Danny’s body to rob and injure street hoodlums for money - money used to buy food and sustain his host.

Originally, Danny had been terrified of the entity, struggling against it in his mind - but after months, he had tired out and resigned to its presence, realizing that there was no escape or reprieve. He was lost, belonging wholly to the entity.

He shuffled forward, soaking in the familiar streets of LA - the dirty lanes, the narrow alleys. Nostalgia and memories engulfed him. Homesickness pooled in his stomach. And anxiety.

Danny knew. He knew that the entity was back for Jorel’s wedding. Why a centuries-old all-powerful creature would want to attend a chainsmoker’s wedding was alien to him. After he had come across the invitation, the entity had suddenly changed its course, demanding they return to LA. It - quite literally - dragged Danny on a long walk through California before hopping onto a cab back. 

Feet sore, muscles aching, Danny had been exhausted.

Images and frightened predictions of the others’ reactions when they saw him again filled his mind. He was worried, he was scared. How would they react? What would they say? How was he going to explain his disappearance?

His mind was in turmoil, his heart thrumming, mouth dry.

_**I swept the area. Decker’s marriage venue should be 300 metres ahead.** _

Danny snorted, almost hysterical. The entity was a fucking GPS. 

It heard his thought: **_What is a GPS?_**

Danny decided to ignore it, not in the mood to answer. He stalked forward, ready to just barge into the wedding, do whatever the entity wanted, and get over it as soon as possible. But the entity was demanding - it sent a brilliant flash of pain shooting up across the right hemisphere of his brain and he jerked, positively electrified.

Stumbling, Danny landed on his knees, blinded by the sharp knife of pain raking his brain.

 ** _What is a GPS?_** The entity asked again.

Danny laugh-sobbed. Over a fucking stupid global positioning system.

Exhausted, he climbed to his feet and continued lumbering towards Jorel’s wedding.

 _It’s the Global Positioning System. They use satellites to locate a person’s position on earth._ He responded.

The entity went silent, which Danny took as a green light for him to continue walking in peace.

He walked slowly, reluctant, unwilling. His being was forced to move towards it but every fibre of his body was screaming for him to turn back and leave. Nothing good would come out of him, possessed, near the rest.

His eyes flew open, bulging.

He hadn’t considered what the entity would do to his friends. What if they were harmed? What if-

Buildings melded into a large garden. A noisy crowd was a little far off in front. It was a happy crowd, thrumming with excitement and glee. Heavy music boomed, muffled and far away, but Danny could identify it as Comin’ in Hot.

As dreading as he felt, it also felt slightly bittersweet. He missed the guys so much. One unwilling year away from them had made him long and long for George’s knowledgeable rumbles, Dylan’s high jokes, Matt’s quiet intellect, Jordon’s amiable personality and Jorel’s fuck-the-world attitude.

He stared hard as he neared the crowd.

Many of the members of the crowd were dressed finely. Women were decked in pretty dresses and heels, men were in handsome suits and ties. It made him conscious of his dirty hoodie and ripped jeans. Pulling his hood up, he studied the ground as he shuffled towards the loud, booming music.

A commotion was happening. Murmuring and chatter picked up, excitement filling the air. Everyone was turning, straining to look in the direction of a nearby road.

From the corner of his eye, he saw them.

Jorel, clean-shaven, bright-eyed and smiling, decked in a handsome suit, was helping a stunning Vanessa, dressed in a Bridezilla-themed dress, out of a limousine.

His heart stopped.

 ** _Is that him?_** He barely heard the entity's question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: Jorel's wedding.


	4. What road to travel on?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jorel's wedding proceeds and Danny runs into George

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's 12:33 am here. I'm wired out, exhausted from today's activities but thoughts are keeping me awake so whatever.
> 
> Sigh.
> 
> I recently created a Tumblr. It's under the same name (This-is-alias) and I post shitty edits and semi-humourous posts. Check if out if you wish or don't. Sorry, mates, I'm so tired.

Vanessa was glowing.

 

Her two-toned hair was flowing, silky, gorgeous. Decked in a beguiling dress, she was practically radiating. Danny felt a smile creeping onto his face. Vanessa looked ever-so-lovely and happy. Her heavy-lidded eyes swept the crowd of guests, a smile playing on her red lips.

 

And then there was Jorel.

 

Danny stared.

 

His friend was handsomely dressed in a pressed black suit, a stiff white collar and cuff links. With a start, he realised that _all_  the men were dressed similarly. There must have been some sort of theme going on.

 

_A themed wedding._

 

A fond feeling warmed in his heart. It sounded exactly like something Vanessa and Jorel would do.

 

Jorel had shaved his hair, looking clean and smart next to Vanessa. The two of them paired finely, walking down the aisle towards the altar.

 

As they neared, Danny shrunk back into the crowd, suddenly very aware of how his dirty red flannel stood out like a sore thumb.

 

Luckily for him, Jorel didn’t notice, too wrapped up in his wedding, too enchanted by Vanessa. The couple passed by gracefully as Danny watched in silence.

 

His mouth was dry, heart racing in his chest, thumping away hollowly.

 

He wanted to run up and congratulate Jorel on his marriage, hug him and tell him how proud he was of the younger male. But he couldn’t. He dare not. What would Jorel say upon seeing him? Would he distrupt the wedding? How was he going to explain himself?

 

Danny sucked his lip, chewing it.

 

The bridesmaids and groomsmen were walking down the aisle, hand-in-hand. All the bridesmaids were dressed in pretty dresses and the groomsmen in uniform suits. They graced the aisle, following the loving couple.

 

He startled when he saw Dylan.

 

His hair was longer than Danny had remembered. He looked healthy, happy. Silently, the blond thought that the shoulder-length hair suited his friend.

 

Danny’s heart panged. He missed his friends. He missed them so, so much.

 

He shouldn’t be at the wedding. With the entity in his body, he posed an unknown threat to everyone there. Who knew what the entity was aiming for. What it could do. It could destroy the wedding, tear apart Jorel’s happiest day. It could harm and injure many members of the crowd.

 

And it would use Danny’s body while doing it.

 

The entity was passive, staying silent, barely shifting in his mind. Danny sucked a breath.

 

Was that Jordon and Randi he could see, standing off to a side? Did he catch a glimpse of Ava and Asia or was it just his imagination?

 

The crowd was clapping, a ripple of energy and excitement. Everyone was beaming, proud and happy.

 

He tip-toed a little to see what was going on. A priest was standing on the podium, Vanessa and Jorel before him. The couple were embracing each other, in each others’ arms, love-struck smiles spread on their faces, ready to take their vows.

 

Jorel looked lost, anxious and nervous, yet excited and blessed at the same time. He gave Vanessa a reassuring smile, gripping her arms tightly. Vanessa hummed back, smiling, too. Danny could feel his lips curl slightly, cheeks twitching up. The atmosphere was too damn happy - too contrasting to the war of panic and dilemma spinning within his head.

 

Jorel’s fairytale wedding. He was so happy for him-

 

A hand clamped on his shoulder.

 

Danny startled, tearing away and spinning to face the culprit, heart slamming against his rib cage.

 

George loomed over him, taking him in. The giant male’s eyes widened as he soaked in the sight before him. Seemingly conflicted, George hesitated, pondering. Blue eyes narrowed, thinking. Abruptly, George gripped Danny’s arm and dragged him through the crowd, politely but urgently shoving through people, towards the back of the garden.

 

Hedges formed a quiet, secluded corner, away from prying eyes. The lively sounds of the wedding were slowly drowned out as George yanked Danny away from the ceremony.

 

Danny stumbled, chest and stomach buzzing and spinning. He wanted to throw up. Panic was settling in.

 

Danny could feel the entity’s interest spike. It was unfurling in his mind, not unlike a curious snake uncurling from its comfortable slumber to observe the events through slitted eyes. He prayed that no ill would befall George.

 

_Please don't do anything,_ he begged the entity.

 

The entity ignored him.

 

_**Don't even try telling him about me,**_ it hissed evilly.

 

George released his arm and quickly stepped in front of him, sealing off the exit. Danny was barricaded within the three hedges and George’s tall figure. He could not escape the confrontation. Whimpering a little, he stepped back, away from George.

 

George’s eyes were filled with outrage, anger, grief, concern, joy. He had conflicting emotions, all flickering across his face. He stared hard at Danny who stared back.

 

Suddenly, the rapper was throwing his arms around the singer, squeezing him into a tight, painful bear-hug.

 

“Where the  _fuck_ have you been?”

 

Danny was startled. He blinked, realising the sudden weight crushing against him and around him. It took him a moment before he lifted his trembling arms and wrapped them around George’s huge frame, giving a weak squeeze.

 

He was shaking, shivering. He wanted nothing than to embrace George, melt into his hug, cry and sob and tell his dear friend what had been going on, share his burden. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t.

 

George was squashing him. They embraced for a few more moments before George reluctantly pulled away. Danny tried to cling on but relaxed his grip, allowing both to separate and face each other.

 

The taller male looked concerned, worry written all over his face. His brows were furrowed and wrinkles crinkled along the edges of his eyes.

 

“Danny, where have you been?” He asked.

 

Danny’s heart stopped.

 

He ground his molars together, racking his mind for a half-believable lie. Where was the entity to help him when he needed it?

 

“I-uh,” he stammered, unable to explain himself. Shit. Why couldn’t he have come up with a convincing tale on the hours-long trip back? “I… I… went to San Diego and explored around.”

 

George’s eyes narrowed.

 

“Why?” he asked, thickly.

 

Danny’s palms were sweaty. He wanted to cower and spill beneath George’s intense gaze.

 

“Because… I felt like it?” He murmured, hoping that George would take the hint that he didn’t or couldn’t share. The other man had always been respectful of others’ privacy but he wasn’t sure how much George would hold back on prying, especially when he was worried for another’s safety.

 

“Not a good answer, Daniel,” George replied coldly. Danny’s blood ran like ice. He was fucking 35 years old but George’s tone made him feel small, like a child being reprimanded by a father or a stern headmaster.

 

He bit his lip, struggling, panicking. The entity remained silent.

 

“I can’t tell you, George. Please understand that.” He whispered, nervous, scared.

 

Danny mentally beat himself up, screaming at himself for being stupid and not coming up with a cover story. Now all he seemed was suspicious. George would definitely feel that something was up and try to intervene. And if George tried to intervene-

 

A flash of a memory shot through his mind.

 

His body had been no longer his. The entity had taken control. Danny could only watch in horror and fright as his arms swung, his legs lashing out at the poor, innocent passerby. Again and again, his fists moved, strung along by the entity’s strings of control, bashing into the stranger’s face. A crunch. A crack. A snap. Danny winced, crying and begging the entity to stop. It didn’t listen.

 

With inhuamne strength, Danny’s body lifted the stranger up with one hand - an impossible feat for his regular self - and flung him against the brick wall. The man hit it with a stomach-turning  _crunch_  and flopped, lifeless onto the ground, unmoving.

 

The entity then steered Danny to rifle through the man’s pockets, eventually pulling out a wallet and some loose change. Afterwards, it sent the blond fleeing from the scene, scaling walls, into the cover of the night.

 

As much as he respected George’s strength and power, there was no way he stood a chance against the demonic non-human being inside of him.

 

Everywhere he went, he was a danger to others. The entity did not have a care in the world for human lives.

 

“Why not?” George tilted his head to a side, settling back to hear Danny’s explanation.

 

Cheers and applause erupted from the wedding. Hoots and hollers sounded. A loud commotion was coming from it. Excitement was hitting sky high.

 

George’s face was unreadable as he turned to observe the party in the distance. Helium balloons were being released into the air, spiralling into the sky. Laughter boomed from the crowd. The unmistakable sound of confetti being popped peppered the air.

 

George raised an eyebrow before addressing Danny. “We’ll talk after the wedding is over. Meet back here in 30.” He said before crossing the garden, returning to the crowd.

 

Danny watched as the man melded into the flood of guests, disappearing in seconds.

 

He released a shuddering breath, swaying, ready to collapse. His knees were jelly, calves made of paper.

 

_**Walk around,**_ the entity suddenly commanded.

 

_What?_  Danny thought back, dreading the possible reasons for the order.

 

_**Walk,**_ it responded simply, shoving Danny’s foot forward. The blond sighed, getting the hint. He slowly wandered towards the crowd, stepping nervously. He hunched forward, trying to remain as inconspicuous and as unnoticeable as possible. Hands shoved into his pockets, he wished he had his sunglasses with him for an extra layer of security.

 

The guests mostly ignored him, too busy chatting with their acquaintances or watching the couple with pride and joy.

 

The entity was humming in his head. It was an indescribable feeling. He could <i>feel</i> the writhing mass of darkness, like kelp, buzzing with energy. It was on the lookout for something… or someone. He chewed his lip nervously, praying and praying that no harm would come to anyone in the party.

 

He also begged the Gods to not have him accidentally run into someone who recognised him.

 

The path he took was random - he twisted and turned as he wished, wandering, directionless, through the crowd.

 

Danny blinked, looking around. The entity gave no cues as to what it was looking for. It longued in Danny’s mind, its darkness trickling slightly into his vision.

 

That was another thing that Danny disliked. The entity was like a sea anemone in his head, tendrils of it seeping and sneaking in the vacancies of his mind, filling his vision. It was a parasite. And it was completely supernatural, meaning that he couldn’t rid of it even if he sawed a chunk of his brain off.

 

It was maddening.

 

He had resigned and surrendered himself to his fate - loneliness, guilt, frustration and grief. Loneliness, for he could no longer interact with others. Guilt from harming others. Frustration from his helplessness. And grief from his loss of control.

 

There was constantly a war in his head.

 

**_Hm... that little girl appears recognisable. No, familiar,_**  the entity mused out loud,  _ **I have an inkling of her from your memories.**_

 

“What? Where-” Danny accidentally hissed out loud, earning strange looks from the surrounding people.

 

But he ignored them for, from the corner of his eye, he noticed a strawberry-blonde little girl, dressed in a pretty white dress and high socks, two braids swinging from her petite head of hair.

 

She was laughing gleefully and chasing after bubbles blown from a bubble machine, seated on a pedestal.

 

_Scarlett._

 

Danny spun and bolted away, tearing through the crowd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay but PLEASE, help a fellow out here, eh? I have trouble prioritizing my works so, like, just tell me which of the following you'd be interested in so I can discard some ideas and push for others.
> 
> By the way, writing the option letter in the comments is cool, too.
> 
> A. "Damnation, Trepidation" - a multi-chaptered fic, DMxTP. Aron falls, hits his head, and suddenly is informed by the psychic mortician that he is destined to save human kind from the prophesied Anarchy, with the aid of a young witch.
> 
> But because life sucks more cock than Da Kurlzz does, the young witch turns out to be none other than Danny Murillo - a shitty witch with shitty control over his magic. The two must work together to fulfill the prophecy that they would save humanity from destruction.
> 
> B. "Pour Me" - a one-shot, DMxTP. DM is an immortal being, tasked to ensure that Aron kills himself by the stroke of midnight on the 31st of December. Should Aron's death not happen, he would assume the role of the New Devil and send the world into chaos.
> 
> C. "Love it, Hate it" - one-shot, J3TxEveryone. Johnny is a little too possessive at times. He needs to learn everything about all those around him.
> 
> And so he dates. Every. Single. One. Of. Them.
> 
> (Was supposed to be humourous but ended up dark)
> 
>  
> 
> SO, yeah, those are the current ideas. Choose wisely. The future awaits.


	5. Nothing At All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The entity is close to finding his prey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short, very quick update. 
> 
> Anxiety and stress is catching up and I really can't bring my frazzled mind to focus enough. I apologise in advance, I will try to get my shit together in time for the next installment.

People whipped by him as he hurtled forward, dashing madly away from the wedding ceremony.

**_Stop,_** the entity commanded, voice resonating and echoing throughout Danny’s mind. **_Return to the venue, I wish to analyse the guests further._**

Danny’s mouth went dry.

His footsteps slowed, his heart thudding in his chest, anxiety wringing in his gut, threatening to erupt. Slowly, reluctantly, he turned to eye the wedding. He hadn’t gotten far - only managing to tear away from the crowd. Scarlett was nowhere to be seen.

He nervously edged back towards the guests, biting his lip, eyes alert and darting across every individual, ensuring that he did not see a familiar face.

And then he did.

**_Him,_** the entity hissed, suddenly flaring up in his mind. A sudden cloud of pain dashed across Danny’s vision, causing him to stumble and gasp. Passers-by gave him odd looks which he ignored. People’s opinions had long been a concern of his.

Jordon looked pretty ill-fitting in his suit and tie, missing his usual snapback. He wasn’t the least bit awkward in his decked-out outfit, but he didn’t quite look comfortable in it. Danny wanted to laugh in spite of himself.

A sickening, cold feeling curled in his stomach as he felt the entity narrow in on Jordon. Danny’s body was locked in place, his eyes frozen to stare at Jordon who was metres away, chatting casually with Randi as he drank a flute of champagne. He tried to tear his gaze away, swivel his head, but the entity stuck firm, forcing him in position as it scrutinised the lead rapper of Hollywood Undead.

_W-what are you looking for him for?_ Danny asked, though he expected no answer. The entity often chose to ignore him, a mere vessell.

Unsurprisingly, it did not respond, worming and twisting in its mind. It was restless, considering hard. Danny could almost hear it _thinking_. 

Suddenly, something snapped. A crack shot throughout his mind and Danny startled violently, his heart stopping. The entity was swarming, wrathful. Its snake-like body was lashing outwards, striking out against the fortress of Danny’s mind, bashing against the figurative walls of his mind. It thrashed, it writhed. A ferocious, threatening snarl echoed throughout the blond’s head. And all he could do was stand and look dumbly at Jordon, paralysed by the entity’s control.

**_WRONG_** , the being roared in his head, thunderous, shaking his bones and rattling his teeth.

_Wha-?_

The entity screeched, whirling in his mind. Blackness was splashing across his vision, blocking out gaps in his sight.

**_HE’S CLOSE. HE’S CLOSE. NOT THIS FOOL BUT SOMEONE CLOSE. CLOSE._** A hysterical howl filled his ears. Danny screamed internally, begging for the entity to stop, trying his best to block out the raging cacophony roaring in his mind, knocking him over, drowning out everything.

Danny stumbled, his knees were buckling. He was blinded, splashes of darkness splattering over his vision. The world was rapidly darkening, his legs were jelly. His head spun.

A female guest gasped sharply in horror just as he blacked out and collapsed with a hefty thump.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave kudos and comments if you enjoyed the chapter! Have a good day!


End file.
